Category: Education

Dick DeVos is changing things up as part of the new Management Advisory Council appointed by the Federal Aviation Administration. Last year, the FAA created the council to help with new regulations and policies that it wants to roll out by 2020. The FAA has been facing steep challenges with some areas of the aviation and airline markets, such as employment and advances in flight technology. A report revealed that America is behind other global airlines in flight operations and needs to upgrade its systems in many airports.

DeVos may seem like a weird pick for the council, but he has actually been working alongside the aviation industry for quite some time. In his days with Amway, he led the company in sales and has made key connections around the globe to help get things done. His expertise in aviation also comes from being a pilot and co-founding one of the nation’s top aviation academies located on the Gerald R. Ford International Airport campus.

While DeVos has taken a run at the political life before, his wife Betsy DeVos is the US Secretary of Education. He has supported her run for candidacy as he is also a proponent of educational choice and charter schools. The academy on Gerald R. Ford grounds trains students to become pilots as well as flight operators. Through this experience, he has more knowledge and insight into the world of aviation from business and educational perspectives.

That knowledge will come in handy as the FAA will meet with the council every three months to discuss new regulations, policies, budgets, future growth, and so forth. DeVos has been working with the CEO of Gerald R. Ford Airport for many years. His experience has helped the airport expand over the past 10 years, including a $45 million renovation that will be completed later in 2018.

The Gerald R. Ford International Airport is a historical airport in Grand Rapids, which is DeVos’ hometown. DeVos took an interest in the airport after working with business leaders in the area to improve the jobs and economical status of the businesses in downtown through public works projects and community organizations. It became clear that Grand Rapids had the potential to become a much bigger city. DeVos began to work with the airport as a way to bring in more international travelers and support some of the projects that were going to lead to major growth for his hometown.

Now that DeVos is on the council, he will be helping the FAA create the best policies going forward to achieve new heights in aviation and hopefully kick start a stabilized period of growth for the industry that has faced many challenges in the past.

President Trump’s administration rescinded a federal policy that allowed transgender students to use washrooms that matched their gender. Before the announcement, The U.S Secretary of Education, Betsy Devos met a representative of the transgender and warned of the expected announcement. An aide of Betsy Devos went further to assure the representative that she had cautioned against the move. However, she showed no signs of differences between the president and her office during the announcement. Later, Betsy would state that the rescinded policy was an example of the overreaches made during Barrack Obama’s administration.

Nevertheless, people close to Betsy warns against the thought that she swims with the current. The current situation may have revealed her side that is publicly gracious even in the event of setbacks. However, she has proven to be self-driven, relentless, and effective in the political field on several occasions. Her family fortune went further to aid in influencing legislation that sought to benefit the common man.

Her entry to the inner circle of the Trump’s administration came with no experience in the government. On the other hand, her history with the current president was minimal. With that in mind, she was at a disadvantage as she battled the Attorney General, Jeff Sessions who has years of experience in matters related to Washington. Jeff is a former senator and has a long history with the president.

According to Randi Weingarten, people tend to underestimate her due to her personality. However, she is dangerous especially when she sets her eyes on a particular objective. All in All, it’s expected that she will learn to weave the ropes and get her way. Her first act after she was appointed was to meet the two leaders of the teacher unions. According to Mr. McNeilly, oppositions only acts to strengthen her.

Besides her political inclination, Betsy Devos associates with Dick and Betsy Devos Family foundation. Through the institution, she donates to several philanthropic activities. Betsy and her husband Dick Devos contributes towards the improvement of education, nurturing art and talents in children, and the health sector. Since their entry into the world of philanthropy, they have donated an estimate of $139 million. They have also committed millions to the construction of recreational halls in Grand Rapids.